Indonesia Together with Arab and Islamic Countries Concerned about the Worsening Humanitarian Situation in the Gaza Strip

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia together with a number of Arab and Islamic countries expressed concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.

In a joint statement with the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the Republic of Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the Arab Republic of Egypt expressed their deep concern about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

This situation is exacerbated by bad and unstable weather, including heavy rain and storms, and is exacerbated by the lack of adequate humanitarian access, acute shortages of life-saving basic supplies, and the slow entry of essential materials needed for the rehabilitation of basic services and the construction of temporary housing.

"Bad weather has revealed the fragility of the existing humanitarian conditions, especially for nearly 1.9 million refugees and their families living in inadequate shelters," the foreign ministers said in a joint statement, quoted from the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' tweet on X, Friday (2/1).

"Flooded camps, damaged tents, collapsed damaged buildings, and exposure to cold temperatures coupled with malnutrition, have significantly increased the risk to the lives of civilians, including due to disease outbreaks, especially among children, women, the elderly, and individuals with medical vulnerabilities," the statement continued.

Furthermore, the foreign ministers praised the tireless efforts of all UN organizations and bodies, especially UNRWA, as well as international humanitarian NGOs, in continuing to assist Palestinian civilians and provide humanitarian assistance in very difficult and complex circumstances.

In a joint statement, the top diplomats demanded that Israel ensure the UN and international NGOs can operate in Gaza and the West Bank in a sustainable, predictable and unfettered manner, given their integral role in the humanitarian response in the Gaza Strip. Any attempt to impede their ability to operate is unacceptable, the statement said.

The joint statement also reiterated full support for UN Security Council Resolution 2803 and President Trump's Comprehensive Plan and their intention to contribute to its successful implementation, with the aim of ensuring the sustainability of the ceasefire, ending the war in Gaza, guaranteeing a dignified life for the Palestinian people who have suffered prolonged humanitarian suffering, and leading to a credible path to self-determination and Palestinian independence.

In this context, the foreign ministers stressed the need to immediately start and increase early recovery efforts, including the provision of durable and decent housing to protect the population from severe winter conditions.

In addition, the foreign ministers also called on the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities and to pressure Israel, as an occupying power, to immediately lift restrictions on the entry and distribution of essential supplies including tents, shelter materials, medical assistance, clean water, fuel and sanitation support.

They also called for immediate, full, and unhindered humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip without interference from any party, through the UN and its agencies, rehabilitation of infrastructure and hospitals, and the opening of the Rafah Crossing in both directions as stipulated in President Trump's Comprehensive Plan.